Abrahamson Named Director of National Refugee Service

Albert Abrahamson, Associate Professor of Economies at Bowdoin College, will become executive director of the National Refugee Service on July 1, it was announced today by William Rosenwald, president of the largest of American refugee-aid organizations. He succeeds Dr. William Haber, who was executive director of the NRS from its inception in June, 1939, until February, 1941. During the interim between Dr. Haber’s return to his post at the University of Michigan, Arthur D. Greenleigh, executive assistant under Dr. Haber, has held the post of acting executive director.

In announcing the appointment, Rosenwald said: “Mr. Abrahamson’s wide experience in both the public and private field of social welfare, as well as his academic training, provide him with an extraordinary background for the extremely delicate job of rehabilitating those refugees who have been successful in migrating to the United States. Mr. Abrahamson’s ability as administrator was ably demonstrated in connection with his association with the Work Projects Administration in Maine. His experience as executive director of the Jewish Occupational Council will be invaluable to the National Refugee Service in its efforts to secure the economic adjustment of refugees in general and to broaden its vocational retraining program. The board of directors of the National Refugee Service feel that the interests of the American Jewish community will be admirably served by the appointment of Mr. Abrahamson.”

Abrahamson stated at a press conference today: “As executive director I shall do my best to help in meeting the manifold problems that face the organization. The NRS has an extremely important task to perform during the troubled months ahead. I am well aware of the responsibility involved in guiding the functioning of the organization which in 1940 received and handled more than 300,000 individual requests for services, extended cash assistance to more than 18,000 different individuals, found 5,000 jobs for refugees and assisted in the resettlement of more than 5,100 persons from ports of entry to other communities throughout the country.”